1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to crop harvesting machines of the type that use rotary processing devices, and more particularly to a rotary housing for the crop harvesting machine that provide a tortuous flowpath for the crop material as it moves axially through the processing system to permit more time for threshing and separation to take place.
2. Description of Related Art
In one type of processing system the crop travels axially parallel to and helically around the rotational axis of one or more rotary processing devices commonly referred to as rotors. In other systems, during at least a portion of its travel through the system the crop travels in a transverse or tangential direction relative to the rotational axis of a rotary processing device commonly referred to as a threshing cylinder. In each case, grain is processed between elements affixed to the periphery of the rotary device and arcuate, usually foraminous, stationary processing members in the form of threshing concaves or separating grates that partially wrap around the lower portion of the device.
Because processing systems are utilized to harvest a wide variety of different crops and must function properly in many different operating conditions, it is important to be able to conveniently and accurately adjust the amount of time the crop material spends between the rotary processing devices and stationary processing members to best accommodate these variables.